Online Safety Rules for Students: New Report

As we head into August, millions of teens will begin the transition to adulthood by matriculating to college. Many of these newly independent teens will find themselves the target of online scams.
In this 24/7 digital world, sending a son or daughter off to college can be a daunting task. Of course, parents want to do everything possible to prepare their children for a successful transition. Previous generations didn’t need to have “the digital talk” but in a world where what goes online stays online, it’s essential.

iovation, the trusted source for mobile and online fraud prevention to safeguard businesses, is providing eight digital safety tips for college-bound kids as part of its dedication to making the Internet a safer place for everyone.

“We understand how sophisticated fraudsters can be and everyone at iovation works hard to stop schemes that negatively impact businesses and consumers,” said CEO Greg Pierson. “As a company focused on stopping online fraud, and as parents, we strongly recommend talking about online safety early and often. The transition to college is a great time to remind young people to be careful and stay safe online.”

Here are the top eight tips to keep your college-bound teenager safe online.

1. The Internet is forever—think about future employers, including those coveted summer internships
Don’t post anything online, including inappropriate photos, which would make a future employer think twice about hiring you. Good judgment is something employers look for, show that you have it.
2. Don’t add your address to your Facebook profile
Keep your address private. Anyone who needs your address can get it from you directly.
3. Don’t broadcast your location
Go ahead and check-in at your favorite coffee place and post photos of you and friends at a concert. Just do it sparingly. People don’t need to know where you are all the time or when your dorm room or apartment might be empty.
4. Don’t “friend” people you don’t know
Be choosy when it comes to friending people on social media. Just because someone sends you a friend request doesn’t mean you have to accept it—especially if you have no idea who they are.
5. Guard your social security number
Your social security number is a winning lottery ticket to a fraudster. It is the key to stealing your identity and taking over your accounts. Keep your social security card locked away in a safe place. Memorize the number so you can minimize using the card itself. Question anyone who asks for your social security card. Employers, banks, credit card companies and the department of motor vehicles are some of the few legitimate entities who may need your social security number. Never give it out online or in email.
6. Don’t use the same password everywhere
All your accounts need a password, but not the same one. Consider using an all-in-one password manager. If you choose this option make sure that you log out of the service when not in use. Get in the habit of locking your computer and shutting it off at night.
7. Beware of emails phishing for personal information
Be very wary of any email with a link that asks you to disclose your credit card details, username, password or social security number. These emails can look official but no bank, or other legitimate business, should email asking for this information.
8. Be Wi-Fi savvy and safe
Free Wi-Fi at coffee shops, libraries and restaurants make these great places to hang out and study. However, free comes at the cost of security. Unsecured networks create the risk of identity theft and other personal information being stolen. Make sure sites you visit use encryption software (website addresses start with https:// and usually display a lock in the browser address bar) to block identity thieves when using public Wi-Fi. Additionally, be careful to avoid using mobile apps that require credit card data or personal information on public Wi-Fi as there is no visible indicator of whether the app uses encryption. In general it’s best to conduct sensitive transactions on a secured private network or through your phone’s data network rather than public Wi-Fi.
Your college-bound teenager is more connected to their friends, and the world, through devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops, than any generation before. Every day they like, tweet, text and share. As long as they use common sense and take a few precautions, their online world can be a safe one that provides value.

About iovation
iovation protects online businesses and their end users against fraud and abuse through a combination of advanced device identification, shared device reputation and real-time risk evaluation. More than 3,000 fraud managers representing global retail, financial services, insurance, social network, gaming and other companies leverage iovation’s database of Internet devices and the relationships between them to determine the level of risk associated with online transactions. The company’s device reputation database is the world’s largest, used to protect more than 10 million transactions and stop an average of 200,000 fraudulent activities every day. The world’s foremost fraud experts share intelligence, cybercrime tips and online fraud prevention techniques in iovation’s Fraud Force Community, an exclusive virtual crime-fighting network. For more information, visit www.iovation.com.

It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens

By danah boyd

What is new about how teenagers communicate through services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Do social media affect the quality of teens’ lives? In this eye-opening book, youth culture and technology expert danah boyd uncovers some of the major myths regarding teens' use of social media. She explores tropes about identity, privacy, safety, danger, and bullying. Ultimately, boyd argues that society fails young people when paternalism and protectionism hinder teenagers’ ability to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through their online interactions. Yet despite an environment of rampant fear-mongering, boyd finds that teens often find ways to engage and to develop a sense of identity.

Boyd’s conclusions are essential reading not only for parents, teachers, and others who work with teens but also for anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in years to come. Offering insights gleaned from more than a decade of original fieldwork interviewing teenagers across the United States, boyd concludes reassuringly that the kids are all right. At the same time, she acknowledges that coming to terms with life in a networked era is not easy or obvious. In a technologically mediated world, life is bound to be complicated.

Order on Amazon today!

National Cyber Safety Awarness Month and Your Emails

Have you ever hit that SEND button then realized it went to the wrong person? After all, especially if you work with an address book, you could have more than one "Sue" in there, and another "Sue" just received my email. Unfortunately, this other "Sue" is not exactly one you wanted to know about the information that was intended for the other "Sue".

Yes, email does have have pet peeves we need to be aware of.

Whether you use email a little or a lot, there are certain things that annoy you about this communication tool. Sometimes the annoyance comes from the way others use it. Sometimes it is just your own frustration in dealing with the software and computers in general that is the issue.

1. Forwards. It isn't that we don't ever want anyone to forward us a great email message, we just hate it when that is ALL we receive from some people and that we receive them in multiples each day. It doesn't take long for those warm fuzzy messages and all those funny jokes to become very impersonal when that is all a person ever sends. All it takes is two or three email friends that are “Forward Junkies” to keep your email box filled with new time wasting mail every day.
2. Guilt and Greed messages. You know the ones I'm talking about. A lot of them have really great content in them but when you get to the end they hit you either with greed (send this to at least 10 people in the next 5 minutes and you're wishes will all come true) or with guilt (send this on to everyone on your mailing list if you're not ashamed of Jesus).
3. Not using bcc. Incase you are one of those who still doesn't know what bcc stands for, it's blind carbon copy. When you send those forwards on to people, don't use the To: or the CC: fields. There is another option, it is the BCC field. This keeps all the email addresses you are sending to hidden from the other recipients. Do your part to help prevent the spread of viruses and spam, use the bcc field when sending to multiple recipients.
4. Pictures and videos sent to dialup accounts. If you know that one of your email contacts has to access the internet via a dialup connection, have compassion on them. Think before you send them that Youtube video or the ten cute pictures of puppies. It will take forever for them to download at dialup speed and they can't get any of their other email until yours finishes loading.
5. Receiving files you can't open. Sometimes this issue could have been avoided with a little thought on the senders part, other times it is just a matter of the recipient not having an up to date computer or having an incorrect setting that doesn't allow them to open certain files that others can. If you have the newest version of MS Office, don't assume that everyone else does. Use your 'Save As' function to save the file in a different format that is compatible with a wider range of programs.
6. Reply All. Although this is a great feature, sometimes it gets used unintentionally and everyone on a list receives a reply meant for only one of you. This can be annoying, and potentially, embarassing.
7. Fear and hate messages. These are those messages that are intended to stir up fear, anxiety or even hatred. Often times the messages are political, racial or religious in nature. Usually they also mix truth with falsehoods or exaggerations to add to the confusion.
8. Use of text slang with non-texters. LOL – Does that mean 'Lots of Love'? Btw – Does that mean 'Before the War'? idk, ttyl Translation: I don't know. Talk to you later.
9. Assumptions that everyone checks their email daily. With so many having continual access to their email via their computers and cellphones, it is easy to assume that an email message will be received and read the same day it was sent. There are those who choose not to open their email inbox daily, either because they don't want to take the time or they don't expect to receive important communication via email on a regular basis. It can be frustrating to persons on both ends when an email regarding important news is not read until several days after it was sent.
10. Spam. This is the equivalent of electronic junk mail. Emails sent out to email addresses in mass mailings in the attempt to lure you to a website or infect you with a virus. They waste your time and endanger the security of your data. Good virus and anti-spam filtering software can help alleviate this annoying issue.

Electronic mail, we love it and we loathe it at times, but it has become a part of almost everyones life. We might as well learn how to use it in the most beneficial ways possible.

Source: My ISP Finder

I have personally received several emails from people that have "Sue" in their address books. Many were business related messages regarding meetings they were to attend and updates on conferences. I have politely emailed the people back saying they have emailed the wrong "Sue".

The Internet, it is a wonderful tool, you just need to use it responsibly.

Teens and Social Networking Addiction

Does your teen's life revolve around Facebook?


The Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway has found that Facebook addiction is real, and younger Facebook users, including teens, are the most susceptible to addiction.

Facebook addiction, like any addiction, has noticeably detrimental effects. It interferes with a person’s day-to-day life and causes him or her to neglect responsibilities. For your teen, this could mean that Facebook dependence could interfere with academic performance and have a negative impact on your child’s relationships with family members and friends. With some research linking excessive social media use to depression in teens, Facebook addiction could even take a toll on your teen’s mental health.

The researchers at the University of Bergen have developed a Facebook addiction scale that helps determine whether someone is unhealthily dependent on Facebook.

Here are some of the warning signs that could indicate that your teen is addicted to Facebook, according to their research:

1. Your teen spends an excessive amount of time on Facebook and plans his or her day around using the social media site.
2. Your son or daughter's Facebook use has steadily increased since he or she began using the website.
3. Facebook seems to be a means of escaping from the pressures of everyday life for your teen.
4. When Facebook time is limited, your child becomes agitated and upset.
5. Homework and studying takes a backseat to Facebook, and your child's grades suffer. His or her dreams of getting into an Ivy League college have fallen by the wayside. Facebook is now your teen's top priority.

Since Facebook addiction is a relatively recent phenomenon, there isn't much research that indicates how to treat it. Researchers have been aware of internet addiction, which is similar in many respects to Facebook addiction, for a while.

If you want to help treat your son or daughter's Facebook addiction, you might want to try out some of these strategies, which are based on the findings of internet addiction researchers at the University of California, San Francisco:

1. Sit down with your teen and come up with a list of all of his or her favorite activities that aren't related to Facebook. Take the list out whenever your child has some free time, and encourage him or her to take part in the activities on the list.
2. Set time limits for your teen's internet use. If your teen's only able to spend forty-five minutes on the computer each evening, it'll be rather difficult for him or her to stay addicted to Facebook. If you try out this strategy, you can expect that your teen won't be very happy at first. Just remember that you're the parent, you're in control, and you're doing what's best for your child.
3. Reward your teen for decreased Facebook use. Each week or month your child uses Facebook appropriately, reward him or her with a book, movie, mp3, trip to the museum, or other incentive. This will help encourage healthy internet habits and encourage interest in other forms of entertainment that are separate from Facebook.
4. If your teen's Facebook addiction is particularly worrisome, consider therapy and medication options. Certain types of medication have worked wonders for people with internet addiction. Talk to your family doctor about treatment in the form of medication, and consider setting up an appointment for your teen to meet with a therapist.

Facebook addiction is a real problem. If you think your teen is dependent on Facebook, it's your job to be proactive about it and nip the dependence in the bud. The life of a teenager should be exciting and full of opportunities. So, don't let any sort of addiction hinder your child's growth into a healthy and happy adult.

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Teenagers Online: The Challenge of Keeping Them Safe

What can parents do to keep their teens safe online?

 Parenting has been a frightening proposition since the beginning of time, but parents today are faced with challenges no generation has ever faced: raising children who have spent their entire lives immersed in the Internet and social media. Here we take a look at the threats and the safeguards that make a virtually impossible task manageable. The big bad Internet can be tamed, and your kids can  be kept safe.

Image source: www.bestcounselingdegrees.net  


Cyberbullying - 88% of teens say they have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social network.1
- 26% of teens and young adults say someone has written something about them on an Internet page that wasn’t true.
- 16% say someone has put up embarrassing pictures or videos of them on an Internet page without their permission.
Take Action:
- Teach kids: don’t respond to online bullying; report it to an adult.
- Change passwords if suspicious activity is suspected.
- Teach kids how to block bullies on various social sites.
- Report harassment to website admins.
Gaming
- 82% of children claim to be gamers
- 51% of kid gamers play online
- 47%: teens who play online games with people they know in real life
- Fighting Games: middle school boys’ favorite style of game (and girls’ least favorite)
- 13%: percentage of underage teens to successfully buy mature-rated games
- Take action:
- Treat game consoles with the same Internet caution as a computer.
- Limit gaming features: No webcams!
- Avoid using real names in gamertags or screen names.
- Keep the game console out of the bedroom and in an openly observable location in the home.
- Beware of free downloadable games online, which can be packaged with viruses and spyware
Porn
- 93% of boys are exposed to porn online before the age of 18.
- 62% of girls
- 70%: percentage of boys who have looked at online porn for at least 30 minutes straight
- HALF of those boys have done so at least 10 times.
- (Compared to 23% for girls, 14% more than once)
- 39% of boys and 23% of girls have seen online sex acts involving bondage.
- 32: percentage of boys who have seen acts of bestiality online (girls, 18%)
- Rape or sexual violence: witnessed online by 18% of boys and 10% of girls
- 1 in 7 boys and 1 in 10 girls have seen child pornography online
- 13% of web searches are for erotic content
- Take Action:
- Teach kids never to click on unfamiliar links or search results
- Purchase blocking software and use parental controls for browsers
- Keep computers and mobile device use in readily observable locations in the home
- BE OPEN to discussing anything with your children. Let them know and see it’s safe to talk to you.
- Use Internet accountability services to get reports of online use
- Beware anonymizers, sites that conceal your child’s Internet activity. A good Internet accountability service will recognize them.
Online Predators
- “The offenders lure teens after weeks of conversations with them, they play on teens’ desires for romance, adventure, sexual information, understanding, and they lure them to encounters that the teens know are sexual in nature.” Dr. David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes against Children research center
- Most victims of online predators are teens.
- Most victims know they are talking to an adult.
- 50%: percentage of victims who claim to be in love with their predators
- Most teens ignore or delete messages from strangers
- Most sexual predation occurs with someone not considered a total stranger when the relationship begins.
The victims:
- 76 % are between the ages of 13 and 15
- 75% are female
- The predators:
- 99% are male
- 76% are 26+ years in age
- 20 years: almost half of predators are two decades older than their victims
- Chat rooms: the leading initial meeting place (76%)
- Only 5% pretend to be close to the same age as their victims
- Take action:
- Don’t be overly protective to the point of paranoia. Most online activity is fine, and paranoid parents can increase the risk of alienating their children.
- Let your children know what is and isn’t okay to talk about online.
- Look for red flags: increased secrecy and emotional obsession with internet use, withdrawal from friends and family
- Talk openly (not threateningly) with your kids about their online relationships.
Sexting
- 20%: teens who have transmitted nude or seminude images of themselves
- 39%: teens who have transmitted sexually suggestive messages
Take Action:
- Talk to teens about their definition of privacy: reality TV has completely altered that concept.
- Talk about sexual values and morals
Social Networks
- 55% of kids have a facebook account by the time they’re 12
- 40% of teens have observed illegal or underage drug abuse by their peers on social networks
- More than 1 in 10 teens use social media over three hours a day
- Those teens are almost twice as likely as their peers to binge drink, experiment with drugs, and be sexually promiscuous.
- Take Action:
- Be the decision maker on which social networks your children use and when they’re old enough to join.
- Always be a member of the sites your children join.
- Check browser history for social network use
- Google your child’s name periodically to check for online presence
- Employ Internet Accountability software
- Learn about and adjust the privacy settings on your child’s social networks
- Be clear with your child about what is acceptable to post-make sure they’re sticking to the rules.
- Source: http://www.covenanteyes.com/parenting-the-internet-generation/

Tweens and Facebook: Should They Be Allowed on Facebook?

This is a question that has been lingering for the past couple of years.  We know that kids under 13 are joining, but should they be?

The brave new world of technology has expanded so far that even your grandmother may have an account on the social networking clearinghouse that is Facebook. The fact that your elderly relatives have adopted Facebook, however, doesn’t mean that your child is ready to tackle the social media giant.

When your tween is pleading with you for permission to start a Facebook account and swearing that all of their friends have them, these are 10 of the reasons why you might want to stick to your guns and continue to ban the site for a few more years.

1. Bullying – Being bullied is a devastating situation, even for teenagers and young adults, but tweens are even more likely to be overwhelmed by bullies online. Kids who aren’t victims of bullying may also find themselves joining in with the crowd picking on another youngster in the no-holds-barred world of the Internet.
2. Exposure to Questionable Content – Even if your preteen is never approached by a sexual predator, she’s still likely to come across photos or status updates that simply aren’t age appropriate. A child who doesn’t have a Facebook account may be protected from that objectionable content for a bit longer, though.
3. Online Predators – Sexual predators lurking online are such a problem that entire television series have been dedicated to sting operations designed to catch them. Preteens simply aren’t equipped to properly fend off approaches from predators, and may be more susceptible to their techniques than older kids.
4. They’re Not Technically Allowed to Have Accounts – If you don’t prohibit Facebook use for your preteen for any other reason, you should consider the fact that allowing them to start an account is tantamount to telling them that it’s okay to lie. Facebook doesn’t allow users younger than 13, so your child will have to falsify her age in order to sign up. Doing so with your permission is effectively sending a message that lying is acceptable behavior if you’re lying to get something you really want.
5. Reducing Screen Time – Between television, video games and time spent online for homework purposes, kids spend enough of their day planted in front of an electronic screen. Facebook is just another way for your child to while away the hours in sedentary activity, rather than getting outside and being active.
6. Preserving Academic Performance – When your child is supposed to be online researching homework methods or studying for a big test, his shiny new Facebook account can be a very serious distraction. Kids so young may have difficulty controlling their impulses, and may spend far more time on the social media site than they do actually working.
7. Protecting Your Computer from Malware – You and your teenagers may have a basic idea of how to avoid malware and spyware sent out by unscrupulous Facebook users, but your tween probably doesn’t. Keeping your child off of social media for a few more years can also be your computer’s saving grace.
8. Because Kids Lack Adult Judgment – The fact that college students post photographs of binge drinking parties and incriminating status updates at an alarming rate is proof that young people don’t always have the best judgment when it comes to social networking. For a young child, not understanding acceptable Facebook use could lead to them sharing very sensitive personal information that later proves to be dangerous.
9. Friends Lists Can Be Difficult to Manage – When the friend requests start rolling in, your tween will probably accept each and every one of them because it makes her feel well-liked and cool. That can give some shady characters access to her profile, something she may have trouble understanding when she’s still so young.
10. Tech-Savvy Tweens Can Block Your Monitoring Efforts – Some preteens may have trouble avoiding malware and managing a friends list, but others will be tech-savvy enough to filter their updates and change security settings that affect what you’re able to see. Even if you think you’re monitoring your child, you may only be seeing a fraction of the things she does online.

If you still think that your preteen is mature and trustworthy enough to have a Facebook account without getting into trouble, the decision is up to you. Be warned, however, that your child could find all of her hard work tossed to the wayside if Facebook administrators discover that she’s maintaining an account before she’s reached the age limit set in the terms of use and decide to delete the account.

Source:  Babysitting Jobs

Need a great alternative to Facebook for tweens?  Check out Yoursphere!  It is designed for that age group where safety for your child is their priority!

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Data Privacy Day 2013: MyPrivacy Matters

Today people still value their privacy only it is harder to come by.

January 28, 2013 is Data Privacy Day.

Data Privacy Day is an effort to empower people to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint and escalate the protection of privacy and data as everyone’s priority.

With the recent headlines about Catfish (and not the fish you eat for dinner) as well as predators online, privacy should be a priority on every person that has a keypad or keyboard–especially those with children that surf online.

Why privacy matters?

Did you know approximately 500,000 children had their identities stolen last year?  They haven’t even applied for their own credit card yet and their credit could potentially be destroyed!

Why privacy matters?

Exposed data could potentially put your family at risk.  Protecting your own personal information is vital, because stalkers and thieves can use your information to help them harass or endanger your family members.

If you aren’t taking steps to protect your identity and your privacy, who is?  There are steps you can do yourself or you can hire a service to handle this for you.

My personal favorite is Reputation.com/MyPrivacy – (I am not a spokesperson for them, and I don’t get referral fees) I am a satisfied client since 2006 with their services.  There are many other online reputation and privacy companies out there, at this point, however this is the one I believe is the best. 

No matter where you go – just be sure you are proactive in protecting you and your loved ones virtually.

Microsoft Safer Online Teen Challenge

Every parent worries about their children both online and off.

Who are they talking to online?  Are they chatting with strangers?  What information are they sharing?  Does your teen or child know the boundaries?

Let’s face it, you can never be safe enough or secure enough–there is always something new to learn!

Encourage your teens to participate in The Safer Online Teen Challenge by Microsoft!

The Challenge is an interactive contest where teens can teach others how to manage their digital lifestyle by creating a song, video, skit or other original work. It’s a perfect way for teens to put their own spin on how they navigate digital safety.

Here’s how it works:

• Teens ages 13 to 18 (where applicable), select an online safety topic from either the Microsoft Safety & Security Center or the “Resources” tab of the Safer Online by Microsoft Facebook page.
• They create their work of art (using one of Microsoft’s five categories: skit/presentation, video, story/cartoon, song, survey) and submit their entry by April 12 on the Challenge website.
• Then, Microsoft’s Safer Online Facebook fans will vote to select the winners of each category. Microsoft will post the winning entries on their website and the winners will receive prizes like tablets, gaming systems and more.

Follow the Microsoft Safety Team on Twitter.

30 Blogs About Keeping Kids Safe Online

Should you allow your child to watch the news or go on Facebook?  At what point is it okay and healthy for your child to learn about current events?  Could the media your kids watch be the cause of mass violence?  When it comes to kids’ exposure to the media, these questions are all ones that need to be considered.

In the following 30 blog entries, the bloggers go into some depth about studies and recommendations regarding the relationship between your kids and media exposure, and explore the possible pros and cons of your kids’ involvement with media.

Studies
Scientists play an active role in helping parents learn about how media affects kid’s health.  If you are looking for answers of your own, review these five blog posts to see what their studies revealed.

• Recently Added Studies on Children, Media, and Health
• Resources: Talking and Teaching About the Shooting in Newtown, Conn.
• More Homegrown Content Needed for Canadian Kids: Study
• New Gentile Study on Media Violence and Kids Could Have Applications on School Bullying
• Study: Media Literacy Education Helps Protect Children from the Harmful Effects of Media Messages

Use
How are kids using media these days?  You might be surprised when you read a bit more about it.  These five blog entries will shed some light on media use in kids.

• Teachers Say Media-Use is Harming Kids’ Performance
• 3 Tips to Schedule and Monitor Media Use for Your Kids
• Kids and Social Media: Cloud Resources to Consider
• Children’s Media Usage Skyrockets During Past Year [Study]
• Is Media Use Slowing Down Kids Intellectually?

Recommendations
What can parents do about how much time their kids spend using media?  How much time is appropriate?  These answers and more can be found on the following five blog posts.

• How to Negotiate Screen Time with Kids
• Setting Limits on Screen Time: Start Your Preschooler on a Healthy Track
• The Surefire Way to Limit Your Kids’ Screentime
• Setting Screen Time Limits for Kids, Age by Age
• 53 Ways to Beat Social Media Burnout

Pros
Here are five blog articles that have noted some benefits of kids using social media and blogging.  If you have concerns, you might want to read through the benefits that have been laid out by these bloggers.

• The Benefits of Social Media
• Parents See Benefits to Kids in Social Media
• Family Grapples With Kids’ Tech Time
• New Report: Social Media and Kids: Some Benefits, Some Worries
• The Benefits of Blogging for Kids

Cons
These five blog posts provide some details about why social media may be bad for kids, and outline some of the reasons that their usage is considered risky behavior. Once you’ve read these you can weigh the good with the bad and make your own decisions about media use.

• Debate: Is Social Media Good or Bad For Our Kids? Interesting Facebook Stats
• Some Blame Our Culture for Teaching Kids to be Violent
• Could the Media be at Fault for Creating Mass Shooters? Popular Figure Says Yes
• A Reason to Monitor Your Kids Social Media Use and Promote National Anti-Bully Month
• Are Kids Growing Up Too Fast?

Violence
Social media, news stories and violent video games have all been tied to violent acts by kids.  See what is being said about these events in these five blog entries.  The more information you have the better choices about media use you can make.

• Social Media ‘Stoking’ NI Violence
• Misogyny, Violence Highlighted in Online Video Game, Social Media Threats
• Violence and Technology
• Hickenlooper:  ‘Level of Violence in Media’ and ‘Video Games’ May Be Why Assault Weapons are Used in Mass Shootings
• Media Violence and Debating Effects & Influences

Sources: National Nannies

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Cyberstalking: A Growing Problem

Anderson Cooper and Sue Scheff

Do you  know what a Google bomb is?

We are in 2012, if you don't, you should!

A Google bomb could cost you your job, your career, your personal life, and possibly your friends!

So what is a Google bomb?

Google Bomb (n) or “link bomb”: Internet slang for a certain kind of attempt to raise the ranking of a given page in results from a Google search. (Wikipedia)

Don't wait to be hit by one to realize what it means, like I did.

Anderson Cooper recently interviewed me on my experience with a Google bomb.  Like many of you reading this, I didn't know what one was.  Watch here.

It nearly destroyed me!  Especially in today's troubling times, people out of work, the competitiveness of jobs, businesses, etc - people are stooping to all levels to survive financially.  Even if it means ruining others with a few keystrokes!

Order today

Don't let it happen to you! 

To learn more about protecting yourself, order Google Bomb.  It offers tips and advice to help you maintain and polish your online profile.  Co-authored with a prominent Internet attorney, John Dozier Jr., Google Bomb not only offers my story, it offers sound advice that you will understand and use to help you and your kids keep your digital lives safer.

Remember, what goes online, stays online.

What you post today, can haunt you tomorrow!

10 Tips to help your teen secure their cell phones and other tech devices with strong passwords

With the ever expanding world of technology and the sometime irresponsible world of our teenagers, it is important they learn how to create strong and secure passwords for their cell phones, iPads, computers, social networking etc.

There may come a time when they lose their phone or other technology devices; help them secure their privacy and safety.  Or maybe someone picks up their phone or iPad and starts browsing it with unacceptable searches or worse gains access to their social networking page and posts pictures or content that are less than acceptable.

School is opening, more teens than ever have cell phones or iPads that are easily transported with them to school.  Help them create strong and secure passwords and this includes their social networking sites.

In this day in age it seems like you can’t trust anyone.  It’s kind of sad when you think about it. Every time you log on to a site you have to have a password now.  We all have trouble remembering passwords, but it’s not a good idea to use something easy like your birthday or your kids’ birthday.  These are dates and numbers that hackers and sadly even friends will try.

Check out 10 tips for stronger, more secure passwords.

1. Length matters: Longer passwords are harder for hackers to figure out.  Use a password that is at least 8 characters or longer.  Try combining names and dates to make it easy for you to remember, but harder for a hacker to discover.
2. Change it up: Yep, I want you to come up with different passwords for different sites.  It is possible that your password for one site could be compromised and then they can use your password to access other sites that you frequent.  You may be wondering what are the odds of that happening and while I can’t tell you the exact odds I can tell you that you don’t want someone to steal your identity.  If someone gets your password they can find you on Facebook and see what you are into and then that will give them clues for where else to try to login.
3. Be different: Use a symbol in your password.  People are less likely to guess a password with an @ symbol in the middle of it.  Or use a capital letter or a number in your password.  The more unusual you can make it the harder it will be for someone to figure it out.  If you use a symbol you can use it as part of something easy for you to remember.  Something you like, Big$$$$$ or something funny like that.
4. Make up your own acronym: For example, you could do Sghsin1985.  This stands for Sam graduated high school in 1985.  This is a strong password because it’s not easy to guess, it’s longer than 8 characters, it blends numbers with letters and there is a capital letter in it.  If you want to be even cleverer you can substitute the s for high school and use $ in it’s place. (Sgh$in1985)
5. Hide your passwords: Okay, I know what you are thinking.  How am I supposed to remember what password I used for which site if I’m going to use different ones for everything?  Feel free to write them down, but don’t use a sticky note stuck to your computer.  If someone were to break into your home they could see that and take it figuring that they will continue to steal from you online.  Hide your passwords in your home.  Tape it in the back of a reference book or something.
6. Beware of the computer you’re using: With cyber cafes out there and libraries that let you get online you need to be careful with how secure the computers are.  Even our home computers might not be as secure with being able to access the Internet through our phones and tablets.
7. Don’t pick a random word: You may think that just picking some random word that is longer than 8 characters would be a good choice, but it isn’t.  There are programs out there that hackers use that will literally run through all of the words in the dictionary.  Always change it up.  If your favorite word is curmudgeon then use it, but add some sort of number with it either before or after it or a symbol.
8. Avoid using personal information: One of the biggest mistakes people make when coming up with a password is by using their kids’ names or dog’s name or anniversary date.  All of these things are available for hackers to find and they can use that information against you.  Feel free to use this information in combination with other things though.
9. Try not to use repeated numbers: You might be tempted to use 8 characters in a row on your keyboard.  (wertyuio)  This looks on the surface like it would be a good idea, but hackers are onto these types of passwords.  That same as 12345678 is a bad choice.  Also, don’t just spell something backwards.  Hackers are onto that trick too.
10. Test your new password: Once you have done all the legwork and come up with what you think is the perfect password you can go HERE and check the strength.  If you need to make adjustments after that you can.

Source:  Internet Service Providers

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Teens Addicted to Facebook?

Facebook Addiction

Facebook, our largest growing social networking site and many are now considered FB Addicts.
Is there anything wrong with being hooked on Facebook?  Maybe, if it is consuming your life, but like everything in life, you need to set boundaries.

Yes, it is long overdue, but finally it has been created – a 12 step program for those addicted to Facebook. FAA (Facebook Addicts Anonymous) groups are being formed worldwide to defeat this growing addiction. Many Facebook addicts have been ridiculed as being weak and selfish by those around them.
However, more and more people are beginning to recognize this addiction for the true disease that it is, and that it cannot be overcome by simple willpower alone.

Below you will find the Twelve Steps to Freedom that are being utilized by FaceBook addicts to break the hold of this menace in their lives.

Step 1: Acknowledge you have a problem. This, of course, is the first and most critical step. The individual must recognize and admit that FaceBook is no longer simply a place for casual social connection to them; it is an addition that has taken control of their lives.
Step 2: Recognize your need of a Higher Power. Once you recognize and admit the addicting hold that FaceBook has on your life, you will soon realize that you are unable to quit on your own. You must have help from someone, something, greater than yourself; someone…who does not live in the FaceBook world. Only you can determine who that Higher Power is. It may be your spouse, your parents or your roommate, but it will be a real live person whom you can touch.
Step 3: Surrender your password to your Higher Power. Step three is a crucial step. You must surrender your FaceBook password to your Higher Power. You must allow them monitor all your activities and change your privacy settings.
Step 4: Do a thorough and fearless inventory of your friends list. For this fourth step, you must go through each and every face on your friends list. You must acknowledge to your Higher Power whether or not you truly know each person, and in what way.
Step 5: Delete all those friends you do not truly know. Now that you’ve created that list of unknown friends, you must make the big step of deleting them from your friends list. It will be difficult. There will be a grieving process involved, but it must be done.
Step 6: Remove the FaceBook app from your cellphone. You’ve come a long way, by this point. Step six will be a turning point in your recovery. You will purposefully and intentionally remove the FaceBook app from your cellphone. You will no longer receive FaceBook status reports on your phone. You will no longer post your immediate thoughts from any and every location. You will confine your FaceBook use to your computer.
Step 7: Do a second inventory of your friends list. You narrowed it down once. In this step, you are going to make a clean sweep. You will determine which of the people on this list is actually related to you and, which are not. Third cousins, twice removed is the very farthest limit accepted in true blood relations.
Step 8: Delete everyone except family. By this time, you are beginning to get stronger. Gather support if you need it, though, this is going to take some time. Delete ALL your FaceBook friends except those you have listed on your family list.
Step 9: Begin using email again. In this step, you will begin putting your new life into place. You will begin using your email account once again to communicate with friends and family. You will re-learn how to attach photo files to emails in order to share them with others. It would be easy to turn back to FaceBook at this point. It may seem like it would be the easy solution, but it ISN’T. You know that.
Step 10: Post your final goodbye on your status. Now that you’ve re-established your new life, it is time to make an official public statement regarding your freedom from this addiction. Post your final farewell in your status.
Step 11: Delete your account. This step must IMMEDIATELY follow Step 10. You must quickly delete your FaceBook account before reading any replies to status update. Other FaceBook addicts will try to dissuade you. They will tell you that having an account won’t hurt you. You must NOT listen to them. They are as in need of help as you were when you began this program.
Step 12: Join a social network for recovering FaceBook addicts. Now that you have reached the last and final step of your program, it is finally time to rejoin the world of the living. You will find it online. A new FAA social network had been created, that will support you in your ongoing recovery. Begin to live again!

Source:  Internet For Free

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Internet Classes: Start Your Kids Young

A good education should prepare its students for those tasks and issues that they are most likely to face in their adult lives.

We know that computer literacy has become an essential part of that preparation in the 21st century. We can probably also agree that these digital natives – a generation born in cyberspace – face some unique challenges. So it’s time to revamp their curricula.

Let’s introduce some coursework that better suits their needs and fills a few gaps.

10 Internet classes that should be taught in grade school:

1. Microsoft Word Training – If for no other reason than to develop clerical skills, this staple of office tools is a must-have for our future workforce. Something as ubiquitous as Microsoft Word – indeed the entire Office suite – should be required learning for our kids.
2. Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University – You don’t have to look far nowadays to see the economic fallout that results from financial ignorance. It isn’t too early for grade school kids to receive a scaled-down primer on fiscal responsibility, and  to learn how to handle (invest and save) money.
3. Social Media Etiquette – Like it or not, Facebook, Twitter, online forums and chat rooms, and other social networking sites have become fixtures of 21st century social interaction, and we need to teach our kids how to use them. This particular course is geared toward college students, but a version aimed at adolescents who are already active on social media sites just makes sense.
4. Poetry Classes – Poets are the conscience of society and the blacksmiths of language. What better way to enhance the minds and hearts of our future than exposure to an art form that can expand our children’s vocabularies and promote artistic and articulate self-expression?
5. Cultural Diversity Training – There are numerous courses and webinars available to corporate clients who wish to educate their workforces in cultural diversity. I say it’s time to start this training earlier, and instill tolerance and respect in our youth before they graduate to adulthood.
6. Fitness/Nutrition – With childhood obesity at epidemic proportions, it may be time to include some education on fitness and nutrition while Junior’s already sitting on his keister at the computer.
7. Sex Education – This is a lightning rod issue for most parents, and there is anything but a consensus as to the proper timing and approach. Some even question whether the responsibility lies with schools rather than at home. The reality is that sex is already in our kids’ faces far sooner than it should be, via popular cultural and media. How they respond to the messages they’re getting has far-reaching consequences which can neither be left to chance nor for a later date to address.
8. Internet Safety – As our children learn to interact, research and surf online, there is no more important prerequisite than an education in internet safety. This needs to be required learning for both grade-schoolers and parents.
9. Environmental Awareness – A curriculum that makes it fun as well as informative to “think green” is long overdue for all of us. Let’s start with the generation who will inherit this planet.
10. Conflict Resolution – The importance of learning how to settle disputes peacefully, as with this lesson plan, cannot be overstated. This should be part of every grade school’s curriculum.

The grade school years are when children begin to develop socially, and establish their sense of self. It seems disingenuous to delay the kind of education we’ve discussed here until afterward.

Parents and teachers need to re-examine what children need – and when they need it – in order to best equip them for adulthood.

Source: Internet Service Providers

Parenting: Ten Reasons Parents Need to Worry About the Internet

Be an educated parent.

According to the results of one survey I read, 46.9% of internet users are under the age of 25.  Taking those results, this article should be an interesting one.  While part of that percentage is probably in their twenties, that leaves a big number below the age of 18.

It is wonderful how new technology has brought us closer to all points of the world.  Technology, especially the Internet has made our once big world small; Insomuch that at any given time we can talk to China or Australia and never leave our home in rural America.  While for the business world that may be a good thing, it goes without saying that for our children, it is a little much for them to be experiencing so much of the world so soon.

I enjoy watching the TV show “To catch a predator”.  Maybe enjoy isn’t the correct word, but it is interesting to say the least.  Maybe the part I like best about is to see the would be pedophile caught, and watch him squirm.  Also knowing it is a foiled attempt to actually meet a young innocent teenager. I like watching as they are hauled off to jail to stay awhile and think about what they are doing or were about to do.  How many are actually rehabilitated is a million dollar question.

The outcry from parents has been so loud against pop-up pornography sites that the Microsoft people have played a big part in stopping most pop-ups.  As careful as I am about certain sites my PC got viruses and I had to have it commercially cleaned.  I was appalled at what they found – so thankfully it was removed with no harm done except the fee I had to pay for getting it cleaned up.

Without thinking young people fill in applications for this or that, leaving themselves open to the world with all their information; from age to sex to likes and dis-likes.  Nothing is hidden on the WWW.  Parents beware of what your children are telling about themselves.  Spammers are good at what they do.  And once Spammed is too late to keep it from happening.
A recent article about parents in China, showed that 42.6 percent of the parents surveyed “strongly oppose their children’s use of Internet” or “relatively oppose”, while as high as 78.4 percent say they worry that surfing Internet could adversely affect children’s study. Another 44.9 percent worry about their children’s exposure to pornography online.

I remember when CHAT was the thing back in the 90’s.  It was weird to get on a chat with people one did not know just to talk (chat) awhile.  It opened up an exciting venture for teens to introduce themselves and chat with people around the world.  Now the truth is – were they from down the street?  Across town?  Was their name really Jack or Mary?  There are a lot of messed up people in the world and children are not mature enough to know the difference in real versus crazy people.

Now there is the ChatRoulette which is supposed to be for viewers above18 years or older, however there is not a place to enter the birth date of the viewer.  By the name Roulette, it gives us a good picture of the content.  It is easily accessible using Skype and what the viewer sees on the screen is anyone’s guess and from what I read it can get pretty graphic even porn-a-graphic.

One thinks of the internet as a place to do research and study.  Invariably it has taken place of my set of World Book Encyclopedia’s.  However not everything on the Internet is true. Just because it is in print and somehow got on the internet, does not make it Gospel.  Everyone has an opinion.  Opinions are not History.  History is an actual accepted record of what happened at a certain point in time.

Kim Komando of CyberSpeak,  brought up an interesting subject with the following:  “We all know that music can alter your mood. Sad songs can make you cry. Upbeat songs may give you an energy boost. But can music create the same effects as illegal drugs?"

This seems like a ridiculous question. But websites are targeting your children with so-called digital drugs. These are audio files designed to induce drug-like effects.  All your child needs is a music player and headphones.”

Do you find this as scary as I do?   I wish I were knowledgeable enough to even discuss it, however it would bear great urgency for Parents to check it out.  I found the information on the USA Today site.  Very informative.

Then there is U Tube, the place where a megabyte of fame is worth everything.  Kids have excess to cameras every day; on their phone or mini video cameras.  In a moment when a young lady has let her guard down can change her life forever.  Or for that matter a young man, being teased can be shown on the WWW and he is embarrassed for life.  What may have started out as a joke, may wind up as being harassment.
We cannot keep our children locked up for short seven years of their teens.  The Internet is technology that is here to stay.  And from the youngest of ages, our children are being exposed to the World Wide Webb.

Warren Buckleitner, editor of Children’s Technology Review says, “Kids are surrounded by screens in a way like never before, at home, in their pockets, in the minivan, and they know how to use them at younger and younger ages and Parents must be a part of it.”   He goes on to say:  “”If you’re going to allow your kid to go to a website or play a game, you have to first check it out yourself.  Think about it, you don’t let your child eat a meal you’ve never tasted before.”

Special guest contributor: Kate Crosten of Internet Services

Read more.

Opt-Out of Your Unwanted Emails

It is time to unsubscribe and clean up your digital mailbox aka inbox.

Yes, all the hype and the stress as well as the pressure to get the right gifts - and get them on sale, is over.
Many signed up for generated newletters, store-ads for sales, and more.  If your email isn't full already, it will be over-flowing with after holiday sales.

Whether you are were at a cashier and they asked you for your email, or when you ordered online, your email is now out there.  There is also that high possibility it was passed on without your permission to other marketers (that small print can be tricky).  With that, your inbox and most likely your junkmail will be starting to pile up with tons of that mail you used to see in your old fashioned mailbox.

We will still see the postmaster delivering some flyers, but that doesn't put your computer at risk.  This is not saying all junk mail is bad or dangerous, but who want so to chance opening a link that may not be legit?
Keep your systems safe - keep your teens safe, as many of them have probably signed up for their favorite stores online sales.  Maybe pick 2 or 3 you definitely shop, but after that, take the time to unsubscribe.

Remember, unsubscribing doesn't mean you can't go directly to the website to see the sales or even sign up again if you really want to.  But it is time to clean out your emails and get rid of those annoying pop-ups - once and for all!

Unsubscribe today.


How to unsubscribe from most email advertisers:

• Open the email (as long as you are familiar with the vendor).
• Usually you scroll to the bottom and in small print you will see an active hyperlink labled - unsubscribe.
• Click on it and follow it until it states your email is now unsubscribed. 
• They may ask you to type your email in a box, be sure you type the email address you are receiving these ads on.

In some instances you will recieve a confirmation of you leaving that specific email, always click you are sure.  Again, remember, you can sign up again at anytime.

Keep in mind, less is more, and the less you have these emails coming into your computer system, the more likely you are to deter viruses into your system.  Safety first - get your ads later.  Talk to your teens about cleaning out their computers too - it will keep you all on a safer path digitally.

Read more.

Social Santa: Sign up today!

Internet safety has become a top concern for parents with kids online today.  Between cyberbullying, stalkers, and Internet predators, parents need to be on top of their game when it comes to allowing their kids to surf online.

As the holidays are here, more kids will find social networking sites and meet vitual friends, or are they digital strangers?  Start your holidays off right by signing them up for an exciting social networking experience with lots of interesting topics, games and peers that make safety their number one priority.

Yoursphere is here and it is FREE.


It's your sphere and make it your own!


School is out, free time is building and many kids are at home looking for things to do.  Get them involved in constuctive fun and learning about new people and cultures - join Yoursphere today.  Meet friends, chat and play with new friends.

Yoursphere prides themselves on carefully verifying all new members and their parents.  They have added new games, contests and even have sphere designs for your child's unique interests.  Is there a particular sport your child loves?  Find others with the same passion.  Check out all the great choices - click here.  There is something for everyone!

With Yoursphere your child can even earn cool prizes while having fun.

Finally - a space 'in space' that you can feel good about your children surfing in!

Learn more about Yoursphere.  Sign your child up today to begin their Holiday Season with friends and fun!
Hey parents, don't forget to bookmark Yoursphere for Parents!  It will keep you up-to-date with today's ever changing digital world!  Click here.

Watch the video of the dedicated founder, Mary Kay Hoal, of Yoursphere, and learn more about online safety.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer children!

Read more.

2011 Internet Safety Awards Contest Is Now Open For Submissions

Online Safety is a priority for all ages!  From identity theft, to Internet predators, most everyone is using technology to connect with others.  Social Networking is fun, it can be entertaining and a great way to meet new friends, new cultures and new ideas.  With the good comes some of the not so good.  Unfortunately there will always be nuts who prey on vulnerable children or even desperate adults.


Internet Safety should be your number concern, especially during the holiday season when kids have more free time online and parents are cyber shopping.

ISA – Internet Safety Awards is on!

Welcome to the 2011 The Internet Safety Awards presented by Infragard Honolulu Member Alliance, Hawaii State Department of Education, FBI, Department of Justice, Oceanic Time Warner, KGMB9, CyberW0rx.8o8 / Aikea808,True Digital, Torch Entertainment, Maintec Inc., Microsoft, along with other generous sponsors. Yes, before you know it, we’ll be handing out lots of prizes and fabulous awards for the 4th Annual Internet Safety Awards. Start looking here for updates on when submissions will be do and all of the updated information about the ISA. Also, very important.. Put down in your calendar Friday,April 1, 2011 because that’s when the 2011 Internet Safety Awards Gala will take place! Already signed for the show are Hawaii’s funniest man, Frank Delima, and KCCN’s Lina Girl. More celebs on the way!

Learn more:

• The deadline for this year’s entries will be February 11, 2011.

• They will then be distributed to the judges for judging.

• Once completed, the judges tally sheet will be sent to me for final tabulation and the finalists determined.

• The judges will have about 2 weeks to score the entries.

• Announcement of the winners will be at the awards gala to be held on April 1, 2011 at Farrington High School Auditorium.

• Certificates of Participation will be presented to all team members.

• Top five finalists will have a plaque.

• Prizes will be awarded to the school of the winning teams.

In the past, these prizes were monetary awards and products/services to be used for the school.  All students who entered as a team member are invited to attend the Gala and ONLY these students are eligible for the random prize giveaways.  These range from backpacks, laptop bags, t-shirts, to XBoxes and iPods.  Last year, I donated 4 iPod nanos, an iPad, and a netbook for the random drawing.  My MicroSoft “partner” have been donating at 4 XBoxes at each of our three past contests.

In addition, there will be entertainment by local musicians and teen dance revue.  We also have celebrity award presenters and opening keynote speakers from city, state and Federal government leaders and educators.

Last year, Howard Schmidt (a personal friend) made a short video thanking our students for their part in cybersecurity.

Unfortunately, our contest is non-profit and everything is pretty much donations  and “aloha“, so I can not offer you a  trip to Hawaii, but if you can attend, we do have contacts in the hotel industry that may be able to get us a very good rate.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/InternetSafetyAwards/126181947417717
https://twitter.com/ISA_808
https://twitter.com/CyberSafety808

Contributed by Chris Duque

The Protection Connection

Teen safety. Teen awareness.  Teen protection - both online and off.


Net Cetera and Heads Up is offered FREE to you!

Since it is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month it is time to turn our focus to online protection.  Exactly what are you using?  Do you have spyware?  Do you have an anti-virus software installed?  What about firewalls?

If you are driving a car, it is important to always wear your seatbelt.  It is for your protection - period.  No questions asked.

If you are surfing online, you need to take steps to protect yourself, your information and your computers.  Privacy is limited online, so it is imperative you use your privacy settings on all social networks and other areas you travel to online.


As you know, the Internet offers students a wealth of opportunities to communicate, socialize and explore the world.  But these benefits come with risks.  Problems like cyberbullying, sexting and over-sharing (exposing private information) on social networking sites affect students, schools and communities across the country.
OnGuard Online, Stop - Think - Click is a program designed and provided by The Federal Trade Commision (FTC) to help keep our teens and children safe in space.  The are offering free booklets and a toolkit to help you become a better informed parent, teacher and person when it comes to online safety.

The toolkit materials are free and in the public domain.  They encourage teachers, parents and others who care for kids to use this resource during a classroom presentation, community gathering or PTA meeting, and to spread the word by using the information in a newsletter or on your website, ordering free copies of Net Cetera and Heads Up for your neighborhood school from bulkorder.ftc.gov, or sharing the toolkit with colleagues and community leaders.

During NCSAM, and all year round, learn as much as you can about cybersafety and cybersecurity.
In Broward County, they offer an Internet Safety page for kids.


Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.

Read more.

Sue Scheff: HacKid Conference

HacKid

Kids are our future, why not give them that spark that will set them on a journey that only “hacking” can inspire?

HacKid was created to educate, stimulate and develop children and adults in a variety of educational areas in order to raise awareness and understanding of technology, mathematics and engineering and the impact on society and culture.

HacKid is a 501.3c Non-Profit organization.

The idea really revolves around providing an interactive, hands-on experience for kids and their parents which includes things like:

1. •Online safety (kids and parents!)
2. •Make a podcast/vodcast
3. •How to deal with CyberBullies
4. •Physical Security
5. •Gaming competitions
6. •Interactive robot building
7. •How the Internet works
8. •Food Hacking
9. •Basic to advanced network/application security
10. •Website design/introduction to blogging
11. •Manipulating hardware and software for fun
12. •Meeting & interacting with law enforcement
13. •Building a netbook
14. •Low-impact martial arts/self-defense training

The format of our conference is really interesting -- we mix advisory board recommendations with a crowd-sourced concept based on submissions via our Wiki...

If you have additional ideas for cool things to do, let us know via @HacKidCon (Twitter) hackid@hackid.org or better yet, PLEASE go to the Wiki and contribute there!